The present invention relates to a storage device, in particular to a rack for storing Pilates exercise equipment. Pilates exercise equipment uses springs in combination with handlebars or stirrups, as tension elements. These tension elements need to be stored in a way that would permit a quick and orderly access while avoiding entanglement among the various springs. Although an idea of a rack for hanging objects is not new, the need to store the Pilates equipment has never been adequately addressed with a proper rack.
Known prior art wall mounted racks include U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,737; U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,949; U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,309; U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,154; U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,234; U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,713; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,318,530.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,737 discloses a wall mounted, multi-purpose storage apparatus having interchangeable shelving for use in storage of sporting goods. Shelf construction consists of rod members or alternatively, shelf construction may consist of a single plastic piece having steel tubes integrated into the shelf. Structural rigidity is provided through the rod members having steel tubing that is encapsulated in a plastic sleeve through a manufacturing process while the plastic shelf has the steel tube directly integrated.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,949 discloses a hanger system including a support member and at least one looped cord hanging from the support member. The looped cord includes a cleat or other adjustable fastener for adjusting the diameter of the loop, so that it fits around and securely holds differing sizes of items in the loop, preferably, up off the ground or floor.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,309 describes an apparatus for holding sporting equipment. The rack includes a pair of U-shaped arms spaced apart from one another and in a generally equivalent horizontal position. At least one flexible longitudinal support is suspended between the arms and at least one flexible lateral support is suspended between opposing ends of each arm.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,154 describes a rack for supporting and displaying recreational boards wherein at least a potion of design features of each of the recreational boards is simultaneously available for visual inspection. The rack includes mounting members, an elongated support member, and securing members.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,234 discloses a display system of having plug in extended display hooks for hanging products of various widths. A plug-in header module has a bull nose shaped display window for product descriptions and pricing, and extends frontwards to the end of the hooks.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,713 discloses a storage system for securing a first piece of sports equipment and a second piece of sports equipment to a rigid structure that includes a first storage subassembly and a second storage subassembly. The first storage subassembly includes a left first frame and a spaced apart right first frame that are coupled to the rigid structure. The first frames cooperate to support the first piece of sports equipment. The second storage subassembly includes a left second frame and a spaced apart right second frame. The second frames are selectively coupled to the first storage subassembly. The second frames cooperate to support the second piece of sports equipment.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,318,530 describes a skateboard security rack having a pair of support members defining a slot therebetween for receiving the deck of a skateboard. At least one of the support members has a width smaller than the wheelbase of the skateboard received in the slot. Locking structure between the support members and across the top of the slot retains the skateboard within the slot. The locking structure may be separate elements coupled to each of the support members and a lock therebetween.
Although all of the above patents disclose racks for holding various kinds of sports equipment, none can be easily adapted for storing Pilates equipment. In addition, most of the racks disclosed above intrude far into the open area, directly in front of the rack. Such setup creates an undesirable safety hazard and obstruction in high traffic areas, such as an exercise room or a gym. In contrast, the present invention is highly compact and does not require a wide clear area for deployment. In addition there are no sharp protruding components as in prior art, making this rack much more gym-friendly. However, the most desirable and novel feature of the present invention is the ability to store Pilates tension equipment in a manner that prevents entanglement and provides clear and easy access to the individual exercise components. Without the present invention, the springs would have to be left attached on a machine, where they would cause an obstruction and clutter, or be placed into a container or on an unsuitable rack, risking that the springs or other components may get entangled with each other, get deformed or become otherwise compromised.
One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail herein below.